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Diabetes Honeymoon

What is the diabetes honeymoon period? Honeymoon phase is a remission some diabetes type 1 experiences when their pancreas still secretes insulin.

What is a diabetes “honeymoon phase”?

Literally, "honeymoon" simply means the period just after the wedding when things are at their sweetest and slowly wanes in few months. However, diabetes honeymoon is not cool and fun, instead it is hot and boredom.

Diabetes honeymoon phase is the period shortly after the newly onset diabetes type 1 during which there is a temporary recovery of pancreatic beta cell function and insulin secretion. This is only a temporary and does not indicate diabetes is recovering, improving, or cured. During this honeymoon period, your blood-glucose levels may improve to normal or near-normal level.

What happens during the honeymoon phase?

Managing diabetes is a challenge, especially during the onset (newly diagnosed). The honeymoon phase can make things more frustrating and unpredictable for newly the onset of diabetes type 1.

It is important that you should not stop taking insulin even during the honeymoon phase; this can rapidly lead to diabetic ketoacidosis. However, you may experience hypoglycemia (low blood-glucose) when your pancreas is in remission. Thus, your insulin dose needs adjustment to prevent low blood-glucose levels.

This makes tricky to manage the blood-glucose level during this honeymoon period contributing to hypoglycemia when the pancreas unpredictably producing insulin in addition to administration via injection.

It is important to remember that this phase will pass and over time, your child (or you) will become more stable. Treating diabetes really does get easier over time.

How long does the honeymoon period last?

There is no fixed answer for this complicated question. It is very hard to assess how long the diabetes honeymoon phase may last in people with diabetes type 1. The diabetes honeymoon period can last for weeks, months or in some rare cases for years.